In the News: Three Skills of a Quality Patent Translator

MultiLing is always on the lookout for another excellent patent translator and the company has learned a thing or two about their key characteristics. Michael Sneddon, MultiLing president and CEO, recently shared some requirements the company has of its patent translators in an article for Business2Community.

“For the inexperienced company preparing to expand internationally, seeking, finding and qualifying competent patent translation services to assist with overseas patent applications or other technical translations isn’t necessarily a high priority. It should be, however, as even one inaccurate or confusing translation can jeopardize the entire operation, or at least potentially cost millions of dollars in lost revenue and damaged brand reputation.

While accurately translating product and marketing materials is important, translating patents is even more so, with the scope of an entire product defined and judged forever by what is included in the final patent. As a result, being a patent translator requires much more than just a bilingual background. The position requires having the same level of technical expertise as the individual writing the original patent. Without this expertise, a company greatly increases its risk of costly litigation and potential loss of intellectual property (IP) protection.”

Sneddon maintains that technical expertise, language expertise—both with linguistics and legal jargon, as well as understanding the patent filing system are three areas of knowledge where a patent translator should be a subject matter expert.

Link to the full article in the MultiLing newsroom for examples of why patent translators need this expertise and how you can know if they possess it.